Bills' Micah Hyde raves about secondary: 'We know what to expect out of ourselves'

Throughout the offseason, the secondary was often talked about as a group of weakness on the Buffalo Bills’ roster.

The group was completely overhauled in the offseason. Under the leadership of Sean McDermott, the team let former starters Stephon Gilmore, Aaron Williams, and Corey Graham go while bringing in defensive backs like Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, and Shareece Wright. The team used their first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to select LSU cornerback Tre’Davious White.

The group appeared to get even weaker after the team traded cornerback Ronald Darby, who was their only returning starter from the 2016 season, after their first preseason game. The 23-year-old was replaced by E.J. Gaines, who the team acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in the trade that sent wide receiver Sammy Watkins to the City of Angels.

Buffalo’s starting secondary then consisted of a rookie, a 25-year-old with an injury history, a safety who had just suffered a lacerated kidney, and a talented defensive back who lacked a true position. Many thought that this ragtag group would be a real problem for the Bills in the regular season.

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However, through the first four games of the 2017 campaign, Buffalo’s secondary has been far from a problem. In fact, they’ve been terrific. Tre’Davious White has been a lockdown cornerback. The 22-year-old even received NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in September.

Jordan Poyer has also been impressive. The safety, who appeared in just six games for the Cleveland Browns last season before lacerating his kidney, has recorded 18 tackles, two sacks, and one interception for the Bills thus far.

Perhaps the crown jewel of Buffalo’s revamped secondary is Micah Hyde, who signed a five-year, $30.5 million contract with the team in the offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. Hyde has been tremendous for the Bills thus far.The 26-year-old has been a bit of a ball hawk for the team, as he has recorded three interceptions in four games. That’s good for the league lead in that statistic.

Hyde talked about Buffalo’s secondary as a whole after the team’s surprising 23-17 win over the previously undefeated Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

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“We work hard man,” Hyde told the media. “Regardless of what the outside world expects out of us, we know what to expect out of ourselves. We just quiet down the outside noise and come to work every day. Then, it shows up on the field. It says, ‘Micah Hyde is one of the best safeties in the NFL.’ I am glad I’m playing on this team.”

While the Bills’ secondary has definitely been a pleasant surprise thus far, the group’s success isn’t surprising Hyde. Buffalo’s secondary seemingly isn’t embracing the underdog persona they’ve been given, as they don’t view themselves as the underdog.

The Bills’ defensive backs have shut down some of the most talented receiving corps in the NFL throughout the first few weeks of the 2017 season. Despite the fact that they were expected to be one of the league’s worst groups, Buffalo’s secondary is quietly becoming one of the best in the NFL. Hyde and company aren’t shocked by this news, as they always have, and will continue to, expect the best out of themselves.

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